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A day after Tennessee introduced Josh Heupel as Volunteers football coach, Paul Finebaum called the rental “both safe and disappointing.”
The ESPN analyst did not hold back on Thursday, saying the move showed how far the Tennessee program has fallen.
“Unfortunately for Tennessee, Heupel is probably as good as the school can get,” said Finebaum, who joined me and Lee Shirvanian on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5. “You think of a ten-plus losing streak with unrest and a potentially punitive NCAA investigation around the corner, the school rocked and, frankly, it failed.
Heupel is the 27th head coach of the program and the fifth since the 2008 season. He replaces Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired Jan. 18 along with nine other members of the program after an investigation into recruitment issues.
“I don’t know how else to characterize a school that has produced such memorable moments in the sport with players like Reggie White and Peyton Manning, coaches like John Majors, Phillip Fulmer and General Neyland.
“No matter how you spin it or how they tried to spin it yesterday, the school apparently continues to sink deeper and deeper into the abyss.
Heupel was 28-8 in three seasons at UCF. Meanwhile, Tennessee has enjoyed five winning seasons since its last SEC East victory in 2007.
“If that proves anything,” Finebaum said of the hiring, “it shows how far a once great and proud program has fallen.”
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on twitter @Mark_Heim.
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